Combination shelf and drop door



Sept. 11, 1928.

, 1,684,193 W. A. NOACK COMBINATION SHELF AND DROP DOOR Filed May 2.1, 1924 2 Sheetsf-Sheet 1 1 Fg 1 1 I I l u l A v Y im. 2+| EE;

/N VEN TDA'. W/LLrAM A. NoAcK. D

Sept. 11, 1928. 1,684,193

W. A. NOCK COMBINATION SHELF AND DROP DooR Filed Maly 2l, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTDRNEY5.

Patented sept. 11, 192s.

narran STATES PATENT oFFicag.

WILLIAM A.NoAox, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, AssIGNoR To ooNcnALo FIXTURE COMPANY, INo., A CORPORATION OF. NEVADA.

GOMRINA'IIONSHELL1 AND DROP DOOR.

`Appncatin med May 21,

This inventionl relates to built-in fixtures, such as kitchen cabinets, lockers, disappearing shelves, medicine cabinets and the like, and especially to a door structure so hinged and supported that it may also serve as a shelf.

generally improve and simplify the construction and operation of structures of the character described; to provide a combination door and shelf` structure which permits the use of an exterior ornamental molding or lip adapted to completely conceal the door opening when the door or shelf assumes a closed position; to provide a door or shelf structure which may be opened or closed without" danger of rubbing or marrnig the paint or' other finish applied to the surface of the surrounding woodwork; to provide an interior shelf with which the door is adapted to cooperate to yform an auxiliaryor extended shelf; to provide a pair of pivots for the door positioned adjacent. its lower end and about which it will swing to a lowered horizontal position; to provide an extended portion on the door below the pivots which will swing in under the inner shelf and form a.

tight joint therewith; to provide an extended lip or lug on each side of the door and belowthe pivot to guide the lower extended portion of the door into the door opening and in under. the inner shelf; and further, to provide a pair of brackets whereby the door pivots may be supported and whereby the door may be rigidly attached and secured' to the structure, of which the door forms a part. g

One form which my invention may assume is exemplified in the 'following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings`,-in wliich- Fig. "1 isa front view of a built-in fixture, such. as a medicine cabinet or the like, showing the application of the invention; vthis view being partly broken away and partly in V45 section.

Fig. l2 is a vertical cross-section 2-2, Fig. 1. y

F ig. 3 isasimilar section showing the door in open and lowered position. p

Figs. 4- and 5 are side and end elevations, respectively, of the pivot supporting brackets.

on line 'lheobject of the present invention is tov n cine cabinet or the like, 2 an 1,924. semaine. 714,861.

Figa@ is a front view of a cabinet such as shown 1n Fig. l, this vview showing the door detached and removed. i Y i Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the door.

teferring to the ydrawings'in detail, and

in general, a built-in'iixture, such as a mediupper ycompart-` ment in which 1s mounted one or more shelves snchas shown at 3, and 4 a'door therefor. Formed below the door 4 is an opening 5 (see Figli) and forming a closure for said opening is a combination' shelf. and drop door, generally indicated at B. L

The. door opening is substantially rectangular in shape, the upper end of the opening being indicated by the line 5, the sides ofthe opening by the lines 6, and the bottom vof the door opening the line 7. By again referring to Fig. 6, it will be noted thatthe sides 6 are'cut away, as indicated at 8, and the door opening is for this reason enlarged at its lower end for purposes hereinafter to be described. f

x The door B may be vconstructed in any suitable manner. It preferably consists of a rectangnlar shaped memberl 9, the outsidepdimensions of which are substantially equal to the inside dimensions of the door opening; that is, the member 9 is adapted to swing into the opening as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and as such vlits within the side sections 6 of the doorl opening, theupper portion 5 and the" particularly to Figs. 1,2 and 3, A. indicates, f

rally show and ldetract from the general ap-l pearance of thel structure,'unless they were covered, and the door is for" this reason proy vided kwith an ornamental molding or projecting lip such a'gsfw generally indicated at C; the molding consisting vof an upper section .11, a lower section 1.2', and side sections 13.

Overhang or proj ection' of the molding isonly permitted as far asl the side sections 13 andV the upperv section V11 are concerned. The molding l2 isiush with relation to the bot-n Cates the side ofthe inner door section 9; the

i Vfull line 8 the enlarged portion of the side of the door opening, and the fullline 14 the amount of projection permitted, as far asthe'V Y side sections of the moldingare concerned.

The enlargement in the lower end Vof theV dooropeninff is provided `tor the purpose ot permitting thelower end of the door to swing into the door opening and in lunder an interior shelf such as indieatedat 15. It is for this reason that the overhangoi' the moldingA strips 13 is limited so that it may `fit and swing into the lower enlarged portion oi' the door opening, andit is for the same reason thattliezmolding strip 12 is `flush with the lower edge oi' the door as it would otherwise form an obstruction and prevent the swinging movement desired.y j j ,'o support the door, and to permit rswing-` L ing'movement thereof, la pair `otpivotpins 16 is provided. These pins are positioned adjacent the lower end of the door and they extend into the side portions thereof; lthe door-swinging about the pivots while these are stationary. The pivot pins are riveted or otherwise secured to a pair of angle brackets generally indicated at l) (see Figs. 4 and l5) these brackets consisting of side sections 17 and 'end sections 18.` The side section of each bracket is drilled or perforated as at 19and a screw or like fastening means, suoli as" indicated at 20, is passed therethrough to` secure the brackets to the woodwork. A single screw is all that is required as the end sections extend behind the woodwork, as

shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and as such preventv rocking or pivotal movement of the brackets about the fastening screws 20. The side sec-` tions 21 of the cabinet are slotted as at 22 topermit the end sections 18 on the brackets Y :su

to'pass therethrough and to engage the rear .side of the Ywoodwork;` the woodwork referred to being the frontsection of the cabinetindicated at Ain Figs.`1,2 and 3.

` The ,door is otherwise provided with a knob 23 whereby it may be grasped to openor closethe saine, and it is also provided witha pair of stoplinks 24:. These links are slotted Y as shown at 25; the `slotted* portion engaging stationary pins or screws in the` sides of the casing as indicated at 26,.and the `opposite endsbeing pivotally secured to the sides ot eu thedoor as at`27. The linksassume the osi- `tion shown in` Fig. 2 whenthe door is c osed landtheyposition shown in Fig. 3

i whenthe door is opened-or lowered; the links serving `the 4function of supporting the door 1n its open position when 1t servesas aneauxiliary` or extended shelf, and the links also serve the function ot supporting the door or shelf in its extended position.

For the purpose ot providing a tight joint betweenthe inner shelf l5 `and the door or shelf when extended and lowered as shown in Fig. 3, a cross-strip 28 is employed. This i strip does not serve the function of a stop -member even though'it` does engage the lower surface of the inner shelf, but'itmerelyserves the function yoi" aiiller for the space formed between the two shelves; this space being produced dueto the otl'set positioning of the shelves 5 the illing strip beineA ot consider'- able importance as it avoids the-,loss of hair pins, combs, andother. toilet articles, which might be accidentally lost.

By referring `to Figs. 2, 3 and?, it will be` .noted that the molding strips 13 are slightly enlarged at their lower ends, as indicated at 29. `These "enlargements toi-in lips` which project into the enlarged lower endV of the door opening. e that they engage the enlarged side walls 8 of the door opening when thedoor is closed;

this being perhaps best illustrated inFigs.

2 and 7.

By referring to Fig. 2 it will be noted that the` lips fare in4 engagement with 'the enlarged l j to Fig. 7, the

side wallsS, and by reterrin dotted line 3() indicates the en arged side wall 8, and it can there be seen that a considerable portion oit' 'the lip29 extends Vinto this por- The lips 29 are so extended tion ot the door opening. This is of consid! erable importance as the lips formV guide.

members which direct the lower portion oit the' door into the enlarged door opening when the door is being swung to open or lowered position. ot ier words, a portion of the loweredge of the door is alwavs within tne enlarged doorfopening and accidental breaking or splintering ot the woodwork is thus avoided. T he lower edge Vof the door is siinilarly rounded as indicated at 31 and a snug joint is thus maintained betweenjthe lower edgeot'the doorand the door opening,and the appearance ot the structure as a whole is materially improved, as theo'uteredges of the sideV molding strips 13 and the upper strip 1l may similarly be rounded to give the saine finish and appearance. i

The structure here shown is simple andv economicalfto manufacture.V The pivot brackets em loyed are quickly and readily attached an ,they form a substantial support for the door both when in open yand in closed position. Thestructure as a whole permits an ornamental finish, due to the fact ythat moldings may be employed, and also due to the fact that these moldings may be extended so as to overlap the major portion of the door fopening. The lower enlarged ortion of the i door opening lies fiush with` t ie lower edge of the door and thesde molding strips A13, and an exceedingly small clearance may be i maintained due to the provision of the eX- tended lips 29 which, at yall times, remain within the door opening and as such serve as guides for the lower edge thereof. The

woodwork or, in other words, the paint orl i'inish applied thereto, cannot be rubbed or marred with the structure here employed.

NVliile certain features of the present invention are more or less specifically illus-V trated, I wish it understood that various changes in form and proportion may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims. I similarly wish it understood that the materials and finish of the several parts employed may be such as the experience and judgment of the manufacturer may dictate or various uses may demand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. The combination with a cabinet having a door opening formed therein, said opening being enlarged at each side at the bottom of the opening, a door forming a closure for the opening and fitting all of the opening eX cept the enlarged lower side portions, a pro- Ajecting molding surrounding the door and oveilapping the sides of the door opening and the upper end thereof, the outer edge of said molding fitting `the bottom vof the door opening and the enlarged sides thereof, a

iair of ivots ad'acent the enlaroed lower Y b side portions of the door opening, said pivots permitting the lower portion of the door to s ing into the enlarged lower portion of the door opening, and means for stopping swinging movement of the door and for supporting the door when it reaches a horizontal position.

2. rIhe combination with a cabinet having a door opening formed therein, said opening being enlarged at each side at the bottom of the opening, a door forming a closure foi ing-and t-lie enlarged sides thereof, a pair of pivots adjacent the enlarged lower side pormitting the lower portion of the door to swing into the enlarged lower portion of the door opening, means for stopping swinging movement of the door and for vsupporting the door when itreaches a horizontal position, and a pair of side lips on the lower end of the door and projecting into the enlarged portion of the door opening, said lips engaging the side walls of the enlarged portion of the door opening and forming a guide for the lower end of the door.

3. The combination with a cabinet having a door opening formed therein, said opening being enlarged at each side, at the bottom of the opening a door forming a closure for the opening and fitting all of the opening eX- cept the enlarged lower side portions, a projecting molding surrounding the door and overlapping the sides of the door openingand upper end thereof, the outer edge of said molding fitting into the enlarged bottom portions of the opening, a pair of pivots pivotally mounting the door with relation to the opening for horizontal swinging movement, the axes of said pivots being above the eli-- lai-ged opening at the bottoni of the door whereby the `lower edge of the door will swing into said opening when the door is lowered, a shelf disposed within the cabinet and substantially in horizontal alignment with the doorl when it is swung to its horizontal position, and means for .supportingthe door when it reaches its horizontal position.

WILLIAM A. Norton.

tions of the door opening, said pivots per- 

